The present subject matter relates generally to a diaper bag that can convert into a diaper changing surface.
Changing a baby's diaper at home is the ideal place to change a diaper, as most parents own a diaper changing table. Conventional diaper changing tables include shallow side walls to prevent the baby from rolling off the table, but the side walls are not so high as to prevent or encumber an adult from accessing the baby to change its diaper. The tables are typically designed to receive a foam pad for the comfort of the baby. The foam pads are often contoured such that the sides of the pad are higher than center of the pad to prevent the baby from rolling off the side of the pad and/or table. An advantage of diaper changing tables at home is that they are clean, personal, and safe. However, changing tables are not portable. In addition, changing tables fail to hold or contain many of the items needed for changing a baby, such as diapers, ointments, powders, etc. Instead, such supplies must be stored on or in the changing table itself.
Changing a baby's diaper outside of the home in public places can be inconvenient at best, and a hassle at worst. Restaurants and public bathrooms may be equipped with a changing surface that folds down from a wall in a bathroom stall. Such changing tables are hard plastic and used by any number of babies. As a result, such changing tables are not clean, comfortable, or personal. Additionally, many restaurants and other public places fail to provide a folding down changing table. In such case, adults must change the baby on the floor, the sink counter, or in his or her lap, all options being inconvenient, unhygienic, and unsafe.
Portable changing mats or surfaces are available, however such mats are typically flat pieces of fabric that may be rolled or folded and do not offer much by way of comfort for the baby. In addition, a baby may roll on and off the mat with ease, which is a safety hazard.
Conventional diaper bags are designed for easy transport of, and access to, the many products one needs to change a baby's diaper, such as diapers, wipes, ointments, etc. However, conventional diaper bags are meant to only store useful items for changing a baby's diaper, including a changing pad that may be stored in the bag.
In addition, typically an adult must duplicate all of the products on or in the changing table into the diaper bag. Alternatively, an adult must pack all of the items in the changing table into the diaper bag each time the adult leaves the house with the baby. Often adults may end up missing an item needed for a diaper change because he or she forgot to pack every single item in the changing table.
As a result, a diaper changing surface and diaper changing bag is needed to efficiently change a baby's diaper away from home.